Machine for operating upon soles



Dec. 12, 1939. v HART 2,182,806

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES Filed April 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 12, 1939. v HART 2,182,806

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES l Filed April 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 12, 1939 UNITED' STATES MACHINE FOR OPERATING, UPON soLns Fred V.-.Hart, Lynn, Massr, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flem-- ington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 5, 1938, Serial No. 200,154

13 Claims.-

This invention relates to machines for shaping soles and is illustrated herein as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in U. 8. Letters Patent'No. 1,939,750, granted on December 19', I933 upon" an application of E. E. Winkley.'

, Soles are commonly shaped so as to fit the bottom of a shoe for which they are intended by the use of a machine of the type mentioned above which comprises a form about which the sole, and particularly the shank portion of the sole, 'is bent into the'required longitudinal and transverse curvatures. Frequently in the use of a machine of this type, the heel part or heel end portion of the sole is displaced out of the original plane of the sole blank to impart the desired angular relation between the forepart and shank. For this reason the form about which the shank of the sole is shaped and the heel end portion clamping means are independently mounted and are separated by a slight gap which, in being bridged by the sole, may cause 'alslight irregularity in the contour of the sole edge The sametendency also arises if, as is usually the case, thel heel end portion is clamped a fiat condition while the contiguous portion of the shank is curved transversely-about the form.v i In view of the foregoing, it is one object of this invention to improve the regularity of the 3 contour of soles at the junction of their shanks and heel end portions upon being shaped in a machineofthe type referred to above.

Accordingly, the invention provides as one feature, in a machine having a formabout which a sole is to be shaped, means for supporting and shaping the heel part of a sole comprising a member which overlies the heel end of the form and the sole engaging surface of which is substantially continuous with that of the form. This construction not only permits relative movement between the form and member heightwise thereof, but also provides an uninterrupted sole supporting surface, when the form and member are in their operative relation, thereby insuring against any irregularity in the shape of the sole when pressed against the form and member. Preferably, and as herein illustrated, the sole engaging surface of the above-mentioned member, being a continuation of the form, is convexly curved both longitudinally and transversely and a complementary member constituting another. element of the above-mentioned clamping means cau'ses the heel end portion of the sole, upon being clamped, to be bent into a'concavoconvexform'and hence is cupped so as to fit the slightly convex heel seat of a shoe.

Theforepart and heel end portion of a sole now having been clamped, th'e shank may be pressed into conformity to the shape of the form and the portion of the memberwhich overlies the form, by a conforming tool having a sole engaging surface substantially complementary to those of the form and member;

In the construction of acertain type of shoe the heel, often a wood heel, is provided with a shallow groove in its breast'adjacent to the attaching' surface, which groove receives the stub heel and portion'of the sole and thus'locks' the sole in'the vicinity of the heel breast line against any heightwise displacement. Soles of this type are commonly known and will be referred to hereinafter as Breastlock'soles.

Because a Breastlock sole has at best merely a. stub heel part, it is unlikely that the heel end portion of such a sole, when placed in a' machine of the type mentioned above as constructed for operating upon conventional soles, will come within the field of action of the heel part clamping members.

Accordingly, another object of the invention is to extend theusefulness of a machine of the type referred to above by adapting it for operating upon Breastlock soles.

" To this end, the invention provides as another feature, an extension or jaw on theupper heel part clamping member which is arranged to cooperate with the lower member overlying the heel end of the form both to grip the stub heel 'end portion of the sole and impart to it the required'transverse and longitudinal curvatures.

In connection with the use of the heel end clamping and shaping means described above as adapted for operating upon Breastlock soles, the illustrated-conforming tool, in accordance with another feature of the invention, is recessed at its heel end to receive the jaw and extension of the upper clamping member, the shoulders of the conforming tool at each side of this recess being arranged to press the marginal portions of the sole at each side of the, jaw and extension toward or into engagement with the sides of the formand lower clamping member.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the following' description when read connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out'in the appended claims.

In'the drawings,

' Fig. 1 is' a view in front elevation of apart of an illustrative machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a sole which has been operated upon in the illustrated machine;

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation and partly in section illustrating the form and sole shaping members in their operative relation;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, the section being taken along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper member for clamping and shaping the heel end por-' tion of a sole;

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the lower sole clamping and shaping member with which that shown in Fig. 5 cooperates; and

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of the conforming tool.

As a machine of the type in'which the pres ent invention is illustrated herein as embodied is completely disclosed in the above-mentioned Winkley patent, to which reference may be made for a complete description of corresponding parts of the present machine, only such of its parts as are necessary for an understanding of this invention will be disclosed herein. Parts of the illustrated machine which will be readily identifled in the above-mentioned Winkley patent comprise tables, l0, 12 the former being adapted to support the forepart of a form 14 the shank portion of which is supported by a lug l6 integral with the machine frame, and a clamp I8 removably fixed in a head l6 mounted for movement toward and away from the table H! to cause the clamp l8 to hold the forepart of the sole against the form l4.

To adapt the machine for operating upon Breastlock soles as well as conventional soles, the illustrated machine includes improved means for shaping and clamping the heel end portion of a 'sole of any type, this means comprising lower and upper members 26, 22 having jaws or extensions 24, 26, respectively, adapted to grip and shape the heel end portion of any sole, such as a Breastlock sole for example, the heel end portion, of which is so short that it does not extend between the portions of the members 26, 22 from which the jaws 24, 26 extend.

' A sole to be operated upon is placed on the form l4 and member 26 in the desired position as indicated by gages of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned Winkley patent. At this time, as will be understood by reference to the Winkley patent, the form I4 and member 20 occupy positions below and in front of the clamp l8 and member 22 for the sake of convenience to the operator in placing soles thereon. Upon treadling the machine, the tables ID and I2 carrying the form l4 and member 20 are swung to a position directly underneath the clamp l8 and member 22 which then descend together to clamp the fore and heel parts of the sole.

Thereupon, while the fore and heel parts of the sole are clamped, the members 20 and 22 are bodily lowered with respect to the form [4 until the sole engaging surfaces of the form [4 and member 20 are substantially continuous as illustrated in Fig. 3. Then a plunger 28 having connected thereto, by means of pivotal connections similar to those to be found in the abovementioned Winkley machine, a conforming tool 30 is moved downwardly to cause the shank portion of the sole and a part of the forepart contiguous thereto to be shaped about the form. Thus the sole isso shaped as to take the form illustrated in Fig. 2, when removed from the machine, the sole having been shaped both transversely and longitudinally with a continuous curvature throughout the shank and heel end portions. If the sole in question is of the conventional type its heel end portion, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, will be cupped continuously with the curvature of the adjacent portion of the shank.

Having described the machine and its operation in a general way, its novel features will now be described in greater detail. The members 20 and 22 are provided with substantially complementary sole engaging surfaces which transversely thereof are convex and concave, respectively. Longitudinally, these surfaces have a sinuous form as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. The sole engaging surfaces of the jaw 24 and form M are continuous with each other when in their operative relation, the latter being cut away at 32 to receive the jaw 24 which overlies the heel end of the form [4, and which together with the form constitutes a substantially uninterrupted supportfor the sole thereby insuring an even contour in the edge of the sole pressed against them.

The shaping of the heel end portion of the sole, either of the conventional or the Breastlock type, is effected by the cooperation of the member 20 with the member 22 the jaw 26 of the latter being provided with lips 33 extending downwardly at each side of the jaw 24 so as to operate upon a substantial width of the shank of the sole and to impart a rather abrupt transverse curvature, continuous with that of the remainder of the shank, to the portion of the shank inthe vicinity of the heel breast line.

Thus, if a Breastlocksole is being operated upon,

as describedabove, to be clamped against and formed about the member 20 which is pivotally mounted on a base plate 36, carried by the-table I2, by means of a knuckle joint 38 which permits the-member 20 to tilt into parallelism with I the member 22 thereby equalizing the pressure over the entire clamped area of the heel end portion of the sole. In case a Breastlock sole is being operated upon, the rear ends of the members 20 and 22 engage each other, as at 40 (Fig. 3),

to prevent excessive tilting of the member 20 beyond a position of parallelism with the member 22, which otherwise might occur because of the lack of any sole material between the central portions of the members 26 and 22. Fixed in the member 20 is a screw 42, the head of which is housed in a recess 44 in the plate 36, for holding the plate and member 20 in assembled relation.

The illustrated conforming tool 30 is provided with'a recess substantially complementary to the sole engaging surface of the form l4 and at 46 is adapted to hold a narrow portion of the forepart of the sole contiguous to the shank against the form. The'tool 30 also comprises laterally spaced shoulders 48 which are arranged closely 5 to embrace the sides of the shank portion of the form I4. r The tool 30 is recessed at its central rear portion, as indicated at 50, so as to avoid engaging I the jaw 26 when the tool is moved to its operative position. The shoulders 48, however, on each side of the recess 50 forwardly of the jaw 26 engage portions of the sole which bridge the junction of the form l4 and jaw 24 and hence cooperate with the lips 32 to press the sides of the sole shank in the vicinity of the heel breast line into the desired shape continuously along the length of the sole. t

It will now be understood that the illustrated machine is adapted to impart longitudinal and transverse curvatures to the shank and heel end portions of a sole whether the sole is of the Breastlock type or of the conventional type.

Moreover, regularity in the longitudinal curvature of the outer edges of the sole between its shank and heel end portions is insured because of the overlapping relation of the jaw 24 and form l4, there being no break in the continuity of the support for the sole between itsshank and heel end portion.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for shaping soles, sole supporting means comprising a form adapted to support the shank of a sole and a member normally spaced from and overlying the heel end of said form, said member being adapted to support the heel end portion of the sole, a support for said member mounted for movement height- Wise of said form into such a position that the sole engaging surfaces of said form and member are substantially continuous with each other, and a conforming tool, said tool and means being mounted for movement relatively to each other to cause the sole disposed therebetween to be pressed against said form and member.

2. In a machine for shaping soles, sole supporting means comprising a form and member mounted for movement relatively to each other heightwise thereof and adapted to support the shank and heel end portions of a sole, said member having a jaw normally spaced from and overlying the heel end of said form, and conforming means, said sole supporting means and conforming means being mounted for movement relatively to each other to cause a sole disposed therebetween to be pressed against said form and member.

3. In a machine for operating upon soles, sole supporting means comprising a form and a member mounted for movement heightwise of said form into overlapping relation with the heel end portion thereof, conforming means shaped and arranged to cooperate with said form and member to impart transverse and longitudinal curvatures to the shank and heel end portions of the I sole, and means for successively moving said member into such a position that its sole engaging surface is substantially continuous with that of the form and for moving said conforming means into engagement with a sole on said form and member;

4. In a machine for operating upon soles, a form adapted to support and shape the shank of a sole pressed thereagainst, members normally spaced from said form for clamping the heel end portion of the sole, said members being mounted for movement together into such a position that the sole engaging surface of one of said members is substantially continuous with that of the form, and means for pressingthe sole about said form and the last mentioned member.

5. In a machine for operating upon soles, a

form, a conforming member cooperating with said form to impart transverse and longitudinal curvatures-to the shank of a sole, means for clamping the heel end'portion of the sole com.-

prising. jaws overlying saidform and adapted to impart a curvature to the heel end portionof the sole continuous with that of, the shank.

6. Ina machine for. operating upon soles, a form adapted to support and shape the shank of the sole, means for clamping'the heel end portion of the sole. comprising a member having a sole engaging surface substantially continuous with that of said form, and a conforming tool mounted for movement toward said form and member to bend the sole thereabout, said member being mounted to pivot in response to pressure of the sole thereagainst.

7. In a machine for shaping soles, a form adapted to support the shank of a sole, clamping members having jaws arranged to grip and impart a transverse curvature to the heel end portion of the sole, one of said members being mounted to pivot into engagement with the other in response to the pressure of the sole thereagainst, and means cooperating with said form to impart transverse and longitudinal curvatures to the shank of the sole.

8. In a machine for shaping soles, a form adapted to support the shank of a sole, members members having jaws arranged to grip and im-.-

part a transverse curvature to a portion of the sole overlying the heel end of said form, a conforming tool mounted for movement toward said form tos hape the shank of the sole thereabout,

said tool being recessed to receive one of said jaws and having a shoulder arranged to press a margin of the shank toward the other jaw and.

the form. .r

10. Ina machine for shaping soles, a form adapted to support the forepart and shank of a sole, means for clamping the forepart of the sole against said form, means for clamping a portion .of the sole overlying the heel end of said form,

said last-mentioned. clamping means being movable heightwise of the sole to impart the angular relation between the shank and forepartof the.

sole which they are to have in a finished shoe, and means cooperating with said form to impart longitudinal and transverse curvatures to the shank of the sole. 7

11. In a machine for shaping so1es,a form adapted to support the forepart and shank of a sole, plural means for clamping the forepart of the sole and a portion thereof overlying the heel end of said form, said means being relatively movable heightwise of the sole to impart the angular relation between the shank and forepart of the sole which they are to have in a finished shoe, and a conforming member cooperating with said form to shape the shank of the sole about said form.

12. In a machine for shaping soles, a form adapted to support the forepart and shank of a sole, means for clamping the forepart of the sole end of the sole comprising a support and a clamping member movable toward said support to grip and shape the heel end portion of the sole, said support and clamping member overlying the heel end of said form and being mounted for movement bodily heightwise of the sole into such a position that the sole engagingsurfaces of said form and support are substantially continuous with each other, and a conforming member mounted for movement toward said form to shape 10 the shank of the sole thereabouti form adapted to support and shape the shank of the sole, means for clamping the heel end portion of the sole comprising a member mounted to swing about an axis and having a sole engaging surface substantially continuous with that of said form and a second member adapted to engage the sole and the first mentioned member at opposite sides of said axis, and a conforming tool mounted for movement toward said form and first mentioned member to shape the sole thereabout.

FRED V. HART. 

